Firelight
by PenguinDynasty
Summary: It's been a year. Kate just won't tell Sawyer whats been a year. But when she's drawn to him in the middle of the night the barriers between them to start to crack and crumble.
1. A year

Sawyer leaned up against the tree and looked out. Seemingly his gaze was blank and he wasn't seeing anything. It was partially true, but he was seeing Kate. She was sitting there, away from everyone but close enough so that she was still within range in case of trouble. Separated yet connected. Not close enough to make a real connection but close enough to not feel alone. She liked to sit like that. And tonight she had the airplane. She was holding it up, looking at it like a cherished prize.

Sawyer was seeing all of this, yet not seeing. He was taking in the detail while thinking. He was thinking about what she must have been like before the crash. He subconsciously ran a hand through his hair. Would she have even given him a second glance if it weren't for the island? Would he have wanted her for anything more than a one-night stand?

The loud laughter coming from camp brought him back to Earth. He walked further away from it and sat down next to Kate. She immediately, protectively, put up the toy plane.

"Hey Freckles." Sawyer said as he sat down. He rolled up his pant legs so that they wouldn't get wet, with the water lapping at his legs.

"Hey Sawyer." Kate said. They both continued looking straight ahead. Making side vision glances at each other everyone once in a while. For a bit they just sat in silence until the sun was almost completely sunken in the sky and it was dark.

Finally, seeing an outline of a person carrying a torch coming towards them Kate spoke up. "Who do you think that is?"

Sawyer looked over at the figure. "Figuring you're out here, all alone and helpless I'm betting it the doctor." He smirked, though he did get the slight urge to knock Jack in the fact, just for good measure, especially when he clearly came into view.

"Look at this. Kate's knight in shining armor. What have you brought for us Galahad?"

Jack looked at Sawyer but ignored his remarks. He turned to Kate who had resumed looking into the water. "I thought you might want a little light out here." He said putting the torch into the ground.

Kate looked at him and smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it." She said almost preoccupied.

Jack continued standing there for a little while. Almost as if waiting for an invitation to sit down but Kate was once again in her own land. After a while he walked away.

"Some bothering that pretty little head of yours?" Sawyer asked almost lazily. It wasn't in his nature to show genuine concern.

"It's been a year." Kate said almost in a whisper.

"What's that?" Sawyer asked.

"A year."

He turned his head to her slightly. "What's been a year?"

Kate bit her lip as if thinking about saying something. She knew she could tell him. He already knew she'd killed a man. So could he. Yet she felt protective over Tom. "Nothing."

"Sounds like you need an emo band." Sawyer thought about leaving but figured sitting her, after making an absolutely idiotic comment was better than going back to camp.

Sawyer woke up and looked around. Everyone else was sleeping. Then he heard a rustle. What the hell was that? It better not be that stupid kid, waking him up. Or a goddamned boar. Then he heard a sob. It almost sounded like an inexperienced sob, if there ever was one, of someone not use to crying.

Well whomever it was needed to get the fuck over them self and go somewhere private to cry. People were trying to sleep here. And it was getting closer. It better not be that skinny bitch with the dead brother…Shannon. But she knew how to cry. But then again she probably knew how to fake it to. Sawyer closed his eyes, whoever it was better shut up because he was going to sleep.

Sawyer opened one eye. "Freckles what the fuck are you doing?" He asked opening both eyes.

She looked at him; like she was shocked he was awake. "Sawyer!"

"Yeah! Who the hell did you think it would be?" He asked annoyed. "And why the hell are you crying?"

"I'm not. Got something in my eye. I was coming to see if you had eye drops." She said defensively.

"Your eyes should be shut damn it." He sat up. "You're going to come to my tent, in the middle of the night mind you, walking in Amity Island, and then tell me your looking for eye drops? Eye drops!" He tried to keep his voice low. He didn't want to wake people up. "I know the doc, has some eye drops."

Kate looked at him. "Look I'm sorry for waking you up. I was just walking, and I don't even know what possessed me to come by here." She started to turn.

"Where the hell you going?"

"Back to the caves." Kate said turning back around to him.

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Damn it Freckles." He scooted over and took off the blanket over him and threw it beside him. "You can stay here."

Kate looked at him puzzled.

"Just come and go to bed for the love of God! I'm tired but I don't want you walking around here in the middle of the night. Your stupid enough to get yourself killed."

She continued to look at him.

"What do you think I'm going to rape you? I'm going to bed." He turned over grabbing his shirt and putting it on. "Night Freckles."

Kate stood and looked at him for a while. Why the hell had she come here? Finally she went and laid down beside him turning away from him and quickly falling asleep.

Sawyer woke up the next morning to see Kate sound asleep beside him curled up. 'Figures' He thought to himself. She'd wake him up then sleep longer than him. He unceremoniously threw his other blanket over her and walked out. He went to get firewood.

Michael came up beside him. "Why's she in there?"

"Why's who where?"

"Why's Kate in your tent?" He asked grabbing a branch.

Sawyer rolled his eyes, feeling like he was in high school again. "Hell if I know. She came wandering round last night and woke me up. I didn't want her going back through the forest to the caves told her she could sleep there."

Michael looked at him suspiciously. "You sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure!" Sawyer grabbed some wood and went and put it in a pile. He grabbed a water and went back to his make shift tent.

Kate had just woken up. She rubbed her eyes and stretched looking around. It took her a second to realize where she was. The events of last night came rushing back to her and she felt like a complete idiot.

Sawyer looked at her. "Care to tell me why you came out here last night?"

Kate shook her head grinning slightly, reminding him of a negative little mermaid. Not that he had ever watched that movie.

"Figures." He said changing his pants and shirt and leaving the cave again.

Kate stretched again and then laid back down pulling the covers back up.

Sawyer turned back to see her going to sleep again. The girl takes over a tent and won't leave. She better not make a habit of it. He liked his space and he liked his sleep.


	2. A Crack in the Wall

The annoyance, if you could call it that, of Kate sleeping smack dab in the middle of his tent was fixed by the look on Jack's face when he saw it. It couldn't have happened better. At the top only one of Kate's shoulders and her head was showing. The shirt strap had fallen and wasn't visible. On the bottom her legs were showing and it was just under where her shorts ended so they couldn't be seen either. Of course taking the time to look you'd realize that most likely Kate was no laying in the middle of everything with no clothes on. But not Jack. 

"What'd you do to her?" He came up to Sawyer.

Sawyer turned around and looked at him. What the hell was this man on about. "Do to who? I've been out here chopping wood."

"Kate."

"What do you mean. _What did I do to her?"_

"Why's she in your tent asleep." Jack asked. Apparently in a situation like this he couldn't hide his attraction to the fugitive.

"Just cause she's in my tent, don't mean I did anything to her. And I didn't do anything. She came to me last night and I didn't want her out in the woods by herself." Sawyer looked at Jack again and then went back to chopping wood. People needed to really lay off of him.

"Well she's still in there."

Sawyer picked up the wood he had chopped and turned around almost hitting Jack in the face. "Maybe the girls tired. Hell if I know. She was having a bad day yesterday and maybe she's worn out. I don't know. What I do know is that if you keep accusing me we're going to have a problem." He turned around once again narrowly missing Jack and walked off. He put his wood down and went over to Kate and shook her a bit.

"Wake up." He said to her, shaking her a bit more.

Kate opened her eyes. "What happened?" She asked sitting up a bit and pushing her shirt and bra strap up.

"Nothin'. But you need to leave."

Kate looked at him like he'd just grown an extra head. "Why?"

"Cause I'm getting shit for it. All I tired to do was keep you from getting attacked by who the hell knows what and I'm being treated like some sort of rapist."

Kate rolled her eyes and got up. "I seriously doubt that you are being treated like a rapist. They're probably asking you stuff but a rapist…I don't think so."

"Well it's my tent Freckles."

Kate stood up. "I'm leaving. Okay?" She walked out a little huffy.

Sawyer did feel a little bad; it wasn't her fault people were acting that way. But she had decided to walk around in the middle of the night. Which she still hadn't explained.

Kate watched Sawyer attempting to put up a tarp. He must have found a new one. It wasn't a one-man job, but he wouldn't admit to needing help. Kate went up and started helping. He'd never let her help if she asked.

"This where you want it?" She asked holding it up.

Sawyer nodded a little bit. "So we're ignoring it?"

"Ignoring what?" Kate asked holding the tarp up while he came over and tied it. He purposely brushed into her more than necessary. A fact that didn't escape Kate, who wasn't innocent of doing the same thing.

"That you actually wanted to talk to me last night." Sawyer said brushing over her hand to tie it.

"I just ended up there." She said definitively.

"You had to know where you were going. You didn't just end up at the beach in the middle of the night." He finished tying the knot and went to the other one.

Without being asked Kate went and held that one up to, knocking her side up against his as she stood beside him. "You think that Sawyer."

Sawyer smirked at her. "I know that."

She looked at him, smirking herself. "You think so huh? Maybe I was coming to think see something else." She said pushing her side into him so that he stumbled a bit.

Sawyer regained his ground and finished tying the knot. "You were coming to see me Freckles. Ain't that cute." He said knocking back.

Then something happened that probably was inevitable. Most people probably didn't actually expect it thinking they were more mature than that but most people like usual were wrong. Kate pushed him and then stumbled herself getting her foot caught on a pole. This turned their playfulness into a wrestling match. They were both in the sand laughing, actually having let there guards down for a minute.

Finally Sawyer pinned Kate on the sand. At the same moment it dawned on both of them that they were wrestling in the sand on the beach in plain sight of anyone who was there. To top it all off Vincent was barking like crazy at them. When they both fell on the ground laughing Vincent stopped and looked at them like they were crazy. They looked around and saw there a good amount of people were looking at them, of course when they looked up the pretended they weren't. Sawyer turned on his side leaning on his elbow.

"Well that's something different for us." He said as if he was at a loss for any other words.

Kate looked at him, a genuine smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "You so started that." She teased.

"Okay you pushed me first!" Sawyer said, sounding like a 10 year old.

"Did not!" Kate retorted. Somehow after wrestling in the middle of the beach she really didn't care how big of a fool she looked in front of everyone. She sat up and Sawyer did the same. They looked at each other for a while as everyone on the beach went back to what they were doing before. An awkward silence developed and Kate pushed Sawyer just a bit. He smiled and it broke.

"We are such kids." She said laughing.

Sawyer stood up. "I was just protecting myself." He offered his hand and helped her up. When she went to leave he pulled her closer. "Hey Freckles?"  
"Yeah?"

"I had fun." He leaned in closer and whispered. "And your welcome to come sleep with me anytime."

"Even with the talk?"

"Even with the talk." He let her go and she smiled at him and walked off.


	3. Swim

**A/N: I'm one of those suckers for reviews guys. Now I know you're reading it, cause I can see the hits. So just let me know what you think. :)**

Kate sat in the garden with Sun, they were picking, something, Kate couldn't remember what Sun had called them.

"I saw you in Sawyer's tent." Sun said looking over to her and smiling.

Kate nodded. "Yeah yesterday was a bad day for me. I was wandering and ended up there."

"You have feelings for him then?"

"I'm not sure." Kate sighed putting the stuff she was picking into the basket.

"Well it was his tent you ended up at. And he lives on the beach." She got a playful grin. "And you were wrestling with him this morning."

Kate laughed a little. "I guess that's true."

"So why was yesterday a bad day?" Sun asked her still smiling.

Kate sighed a bit.

"So this must be about the bad thing you did." Sun said looking at her, genuinely concerned.

How could this woman look so deeply into people? It was amazing. Kate would have loved to be more like her. She couldn't even respond. She just bit her lip a bit.

"Well whatever it was I still think you're a good person." She got up and Kate did the same. "If you ever need to talk I am here. I have bad things in my past to." She said almost putting the last part in a whisper. "And through Jin I have learned that people deserve second chances."

Kate looked at Sun and smiled. "Thanks." She said, she could feel tears coming and she held them back. This was a trick she'd learned years ago, and it usually worked.

Sun smiled at her and then walked off. Kate lingered a bit and then started towards the water pool she and Sawyer had found. According to Sawyer he and Sayid had gotten most of the dead bodies out. Kate didn't even ask what they had done with them. All she knew was they hadn't told the others because of the condition.

Kate pushed this offending thought from her brain as she reached the water. She took of her shoes and stuck a foot in. The water was perfect. She looked around for any sign on life but didn't hear or see anything, except the birds singing. She quickly slipped out of all of her clothes and into the water. She came up and ran her fingers through her hair. She hadn't been skinny dipping since she was 17 and with her friend Tammy. Well unless you count that one time she was drunk. She laughed a little remembering the time with Tammy and went back under the water swimming to the body and finding it clear of bodies returning back to the surface feeling a lot less gross in the water.

"Feeling like an exhibitionist Freckles?"

Kate quickly turned around and saw Sawyer standing there with a smirk on his face. She sunk a little deeper into the water. "Hey Sawyer."

"Hey Freckles." He laughed.

"Could you go away and let me get dressed?"

"I could." Sawyer laughed sitting down and starting to take off his own clothes. "Or we could both go swimming."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Sawyer let me get into _something._"

Sawyer sighed a little. "Fine." He sounded like a child who couldn't get their way and was offered something that clearly didn't equal what they wanted. He turned around.

This was clearing as much as Kate was going to get from him. She got out and changed into her underwear. "Okay."

Sawyer turned around, looking slightly disappointed.

"What are you doing here?" Kate asked sitting down in from of him.

"I was coming for a swim. Same as you." He looked her up and down and smirked a bit more. "'Cept if you had come I woulda been less modest."

"Obviously, from the beach."

Sawyer looked highly amused at remembering this. "Oh yeah."

"I talked to Sun today. She told me she figured I like you." Kate wrung out her hair.

"That's cause you do." Sawyer said continuing to undress.

"Whatever." Kate said sarcastically. She found herself watching the muscles in his arm move as he took off his top and adverted her eyes.

Sawyer stood up and took of his jeans. He looked from his boxers to Kate and then decided to leave them on. Without a word of any kind he picked up Kate and threw her into the water.

Kate screamed until she hit the water and then came back up and splashed Sawyer. "Jerk."

Sawyer laughed. "What?" He asked innocently.

Kate swam over to him and tried to dunk him unsuccessfully. She was dunked three times before she got him once. He came back up and looked at her. She was smirking. "I wanted to go under."

Kate grinned and swam away and climbed up the rocks. Sawyer watched her as she climbed. It wasn't graceful in anyway. She climbed like a boy, yet when she did it, it was memorizing. She reached the top and jumped off, pulling her knee's up and doing a cannonball, which she loudly announced on the way down, like a little kid.

She came up out of the water with a huge smile on her face. "That hurt my ass so much."

Sawyer laughed. "How old are you 7?"

Kate looked at him and then smiled. "25 actually."

It dawned on Sawyer that she was 10 years younger than him. He couldn't help but laugh. "You are still a kid then."

"You make a habit of making out with little kids?" Kate asked going over to the side a bit more so she could touch.

"That was low, Freckles." He said diving underneath. Kate expected him to appear again at any moment and was a little worried when he didn't. What the hell was he doing? She looked around. Then all of the sudden he came up out of the water and threw a handful of dirt at her.

"Gross!" Kate said going under the water and rinsing it off. "And you called me the little kid?"

Sawyer shrugged. "Seemed like the thing to do at the time."

Kate swam under the water planning on getting dirt. She had to swim out a bit, since she was standing on rock and all there was, was slime. As she swam she noticed something against the wall a little bit away from where she had been standing. She went to see what it was and Saw that it was an opening. She swam back up. "Sawyer come see this."

"No way. Your planning something."

"No seriously. There's something down here and I want you to come with me."

"Scared to explore by yourself?"

Kate looked at him a little annoyed. "On this island yes. Now come on!" She said grabbing his arm and diving under, letting go once she was sure he'd follow. She swam to the hole and went into, Sawyer followed. She found a place to pull herself up at and did. She looked around in amazement. It was beautiful. It was a cave and the walls almost had a glimmer to them. It looked like something you'd see on TV, but never thought you'd ever actually see one.

Sawyer came up. "Holy shit." He said looked around and getting up onto the rock. He helped Kate up. "The others are going to have a field day here."

Kate looked at him and smiled. "Lets not tell them." She said running her hand over the wall. In the distance they could hear the sound of the waterfall.

"I can't believe you're the one suggesting we don't tell them." He continued walking. He looked down at a pool of water. "Christ! Come and see this Freckles."

Kate walked over to him. "Wow." She said looking at the water, it was crystal clear and you could see jewels through it. "These have to be worth a fortune." She said picking up a stone that was an almost iridescent blue-green. "They're gorgeous."

"I saw when we get rescued me and you get these things and sell them all. We'll be rich."

Kate looked at him and smiled sadly. To bad that plan could never work for them. Once they got off the island Kate would be arrested and spend the rest of her life in prision.


	4. Run

**A/N: This was ment to be a longer chapter but the next 'phase,' for lack of a better word, is going to be a bit different. I thought it was best to split it into two chapters. Come on guys can we at least break 10 reviews?  
**

Finding treasure together of course brought them closer. They were each other's first pick on any adventure they might find themselves embarking on. So when Kate came over to Sawyer, looking ready for a hike it was no surprise.

"Hey." He said looking up from the book he was reading.

Kate took her backpack off her shoulder and put it on the ground. She sat down Indian style next to Sawyer. "I'm sure you've heard about The Black Rock."

"Course I heard about The Black Rock." He smirked. "Seen Captain Barbosa lately?"

"That was The Black Pearl."

"Good way to ruin a joke Freckles."

"It was a bad joke. But I want to go check it out again. There might be something we could use on it."

"So you want me to go on hike through the forest of doom. To find a ship that's likely to blow up and even if it doesn't the floor will probably give way?"

Kate nodded and smiled. She faked a flirting voice. "You know Sawyer, I'd really appreciate it if you came with me. I'd be scared all alone in the big bad forest."

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "You're really bad at that."

Kate went back to her normal voice. "So you coming or should I go ask Jack?" She picked up her backpack.

Sawyer sighed. "I'll go."  
Kate smiled. "I knew you would. I told Claire I would help her rearrange. I'll be back later."

"Okay."

"Where'd you get this?" Kate asked holding up a baby carrier, apparatus.

"Charlie made it." Claire said smiling. She fiddled with Aaron's blanket.

"You two are so cute." Kate told her

"He's so in love with Aaron." Claire smiled at Kate.

"With Aaron?" Kate laughed a little. "He's in love with you Claire." Kate looked at Claire, who had the look of a schoolgirl. "You know it too. He'd do anything for you. And yes he does love your baby to." Kate sighed and thought of the life she wished she had been able to have with Tom.

Claire smiled. "He's cute, don't you think?"

Kate grinned back at her. "Yeah he is. You should loosen up with him."

"But what if we get rescued? I'm already so attached. I'd hate to start a relationship then have to leave."

"Claire we might not be rescued for a long time. You should be happy while you're here, and I bet Charlie would go with you wherever. You could be a rock mama." She laughed a bit, thinking of the absurdity of Claire, as a 'rock mama."

Claire laughed. "Maybe your right."

Kate put the cradle back under the covering she had made with the board and saw Charlie coming back holding Aaron. "Well here comes your lover boy now."

Claire turned around and waved at Charlie smiling. "Thanks Kate, and you and Sawyer are cute too."  
"We're not a couple. He's just a…friend."

Claire laughed. "You should loosen up and be happy while you're here." She repeated Kate's words to her.

"Are you going to tell me you didn't hear that?" Sawyer asked. He'd supposedly heard something three times in the last five minutes.

"I hear birds Sawyer." Kate said stepping onto a stick that loudly broke. Next thing she knew she was on the ground, Sawyer on top of her and their were rocks where she had been standing.

"Could you not get yourself killed?" He asked still over her.

"Could you get off me?" Kate asked pushing him off and brushing herself off. Then she heard it to. The unmistakable sound of the monster. She looked at Sawyer fearfully.

"Run!' He grabbed Kate's hand and took off. They could hear the monster behind them. There was no way in hell they were going to be able to outrun this thing.

"That way!" Kate said pulling him with her into a more open area and then into some vines, hiding the same way she had the first time the monster had attacked.

She pressed her body up to Sawyer's who wrapped his arms around her. They could hear the monster just out of their sight range.

The monster moved closer. They could feel it's steps shake the ground and they felt it knock u against the tree the vines they were standing on were attached to. They could even hear it's breathing.

"I'm scared." Kate whispered into his chest.

"Shhh." Sawyer said listening to the monster. "I think it's going away."

And he was right. The monster suddenly went away with a loud roar. They could feel its steps as it walked away.

Kate looked up at Sawyer. "I want to go back." She said trembling just a little.

Sawyer nodded. "I think we should." He looked at Kate in silence.

She smiled at him just a little. "I think we should stick to the caves for a while." She said quietly.

Sawyer looked down at her and nodded. He realized his arms were still wrapped around her and he let go.

Kate slowly went out of the vines and Sawyer followed. They walked back to the beach quickly. Kate stuck close to Sawyer the whole time, carefully watching the moves she made.

Sawyer went to his shelter and sat down. Kate stood outside of it looking at him. It made Sawyer feel weird. She was weird. He couldn't comprehend her in the least. Half of the things she did were completely irrational. And now she was looking at him, with a weird half smirk on her face. "What the hell you looking at me like that for?"

Kate sighed; he was horrible to talk to sometimes. You would be thinking how wonderful he was when suddenly he'd say something so incredibly tactless that it would all disappear. "I was just thinking."

"Well could you not look at me funny when you think?" He asked lying down to start reading again. She was quiet for a bit, and Sawyer figured she was in one of those weird silent moods and went back to reading. As soon as he got focused though she started talking again. "Hey Sawyer."

He looked up at her, a little annoyed, a little amused. "Yeah?"

"If I decided to move back to the beach would you help me set up a shelter?"

"What?"

"Well I have never seen the monster come onto the beach and I had forgotten how much I love the sound of the ocean at night. You would you help me?"

"Fine. It's better than hearing you nag. Where you want it?"

Kate wondered why he had to be so standoff-ish. Why could he just say 'Sure I'll help" instead of putting it in his terms? Oh well, at least he agreed. "I was thinking some where near yours."

Sawyer cocked an eyebrow playfully. "Course you do." He gestured to the side end of his shelter where there was an overhang. "We could build off that." He said and then added as an after thought. "Cause you know, it would be easier."

Kate nodded. "Yeah it would be easier."

Sawyer and Sayid hauled the actual shelter part of Kate's 'cave home' to the beach while Kate carried her actual belongings.

"Thanks again guys." She said setting down a suitcase.

"No problem." They both said though Sayid sounded more genuine and Sawyer more annoyed.

Kate did help more when they actually started building. She wasn't going to sit back while they build something. Plus she could also talk to Sayid about how 'She was glad Sawyer had an overhang so that they didn't have to start from scratch.'

Neither Kate nor Sawyer would admit that maybe they actually wanted to have their shelter close together. Especially not Kate because then she'd have to admit to herself that the reason she had even brought it up was because she felt safer with Sawyer. And she wasn't supposed to feel safer with Sawyer. Sawyer was a bad boy. Plus she'd told herself a while back that she was giving up on bad boys.

Claire had offered to help but Kate had told her she could help once they were just moving belongings in. She didn't want Claire straining herself, but she was glad that she was actually forming friendships on the island. Kate had never really had close friends before, especially not girls. Now she had Sun and Claire and both seemed to be genuinely good people.


	5. In my way

**A/N: Okay guys we got 10 at last count :). Katie a hangover is when you wake up and you were drunk the last night. An overhang is where something, like part of the roof hangs over the house. Jack is in this chapter. I tried to do good but I really don't understand him, so if it's a little out of character that's why. I think I may have gotten a wee bit to fond of the italics in one part. But the conversation is supposed to have a lot of emotion in it. I hope you like this chapter, but be prepared to be mad at Michael. **

Sawyer sat in his shelter reading. He was topless and sweaty from cutting down trees, to help the newest project on the island. One big covered area on the top of the beach and partially on the grass.

"Where's she at?" Jack asked walking up to the shelter.

Sawyer glanced to Kate's area, which was empty and shrugged. "I dunno." He went back to his reading.

Jack went over to Kate's area and looked around. He was lingering and it was annoying the heck out of Sawyer. He hated lingering.

"She ain't hiding." He said not looking up from what he was doing.

"I know." Jack glanced at him. "I was just looking around."

"Well are you going to be done soon?" Sawyer asked impatiently finally looking up from his book to acknowledge the source of his annoyance.

"Just waiting on her to get back." Jack said with a friendly smile, which could be described as nothing other than, laced with annoyance.

"Well last I saw her she went that way." Sawyer said pointing down the beach. "So why don't you go and looking for her doctor…stat."

"Okay. Bye Sawyer." Jack walked off down the beach in the direction Sawyer had said. In the end however it was Kate who found him.

"Hey." She said walking up to him drinking from a bottle of water.

"Hey. You moved." He said looking at her, almost with a hurt expression.

Kate nodded. "Yeah I felt safer down here?"

"Safer? Kate I explained to you why it was better to live in the caves." Jack said with a sigh.

"Jack, I said I _felt_ safer. I want to be where I _feel_ safest_."_"

"Well it's not as safe."

"You assume it's not as safe. You don't know that. They both seem about the same to me." Kate told him starting to walk. Not in a way to get away but in a way that said she wanted to move.

Jack followed her. "Well I can look after you in the caves. "

"I don't need watching." Kate said a little bit of annoyance playing in her voice.

"Well I just want to know your safe and it's easier with you in the caves and not down here with Sawyer." He said the last word thickly as if he had to strain to say it.

"Is that the problem?" Kate looked at him. "That I'm living with Sawyer? I'm a big girl Jack."

"I never said you weren't…but I just don't _trust_ him." He put emphasis on the word trust like it was something sacred, and amazingly important. That _he_ trusted him.

"Well Jack _I_ trust him. And I'm in charge of my life." Kate leaned up against a tree when they started to get close to Sawyer's shelter. She didn't want to have this argument in front of him.

Jack shook his head as if dealing with a stubborn child. "Kate…."

Kate bit her lip finding the words that just wouldn't come to her. How she cared about him but she _needed_ to be out here. That she felt like she could talk to Sawyer, even though chances it they would never share their secrets with each other. They still had a connection and she couldn't find that connection with Jack. He had never been in a situation similar to hers and as much as he wanted he didn't understand her. But how could you tell a person that?

"Please understand…" Kate said almost pleadingly.

"But I don't Kate."

Something in Kate snapped, and she didn't know why. She also wished with all of her body that it hadn't snapped. "That's the thing Jack you _don't_ understand." She didn't say it condescendingly or as an insult but she knew that it had been quiet a blow to him. She looked at him.

"Jack, I'm…" She started but he cut her off.

"It's fine Kate. If you want to be out here with _him _then who am I to stop you? I only have your best interests at heart." He looked genuinely hurt as he walked away.

Kate tried to stop him. "Jack listen..."

He pulled his arm from her. "It's fine." He left again, conveying with his eyes that he didn't want her to follow.

Kate leaned up against the tree again and sighed. She honestly hadn't meant to hurt Jack. But she never did mean to hurt anyone.

Sawyer stretched and dog leafed the page he was on. He should probably go and do something. Being known as an asshole was fine but he didn't want to be a lazy asshole.

Kate had moved from the tree. She was standing in the water. Her shoes were on the shore and her pants were rolled up. She had her arms were partly out and the wind was blowing her hair. As Sawyer got closer he could see that her eyes were closed.

"You okay Freckles?" He asked, figuring about 5 other people had probably already asked her this question. But it seemed the right thing to do.

She turned around to him slowly, opening her eyes. "Fine." She smiled at him.

"You sure?" He asked smiling playfully at her strangeness.

She just turned back around closing her eyes again. Sawyer shook his head. _Women_. He would never understand her.

Sawyer helped Hurley move the logs.

"Hey dude what's up with Kate?" Hurley asked picking up a log.

"I dunno." Sawyer said glancing at him.

"Well what happened with her and Jack."

This got a full on look from Sawyer. "What do you mean?" He picked up another log and they both began walking back towards the pile they had started.

"I saw her and Jack walking and talking and then Kate must have said something cause Jack got this weird look at left. Kate tried to stop him but he kept going. She hasn't really talked to anyone since. She's in one of those 'Kate needs alone time' phases again."

Sawyer put down the log. "I don't know she hasn't talked to me."

"Oh." Hurley down his logs also, taking about two seconds before promptly and animatedly asking. "So you to a couple now or what?"

Sawyer looked at him, surprised. "No why?"

"Cause you're always off together, she's living with you and we all know you like each other. Only other people like that are Charlie and Claire."

Sawyer really didn't appreciate being compared to ex junkie-has been but could see where people might get the idea they were together from. "Well we ain't."

"Okay dude just asking."

"You won't believe what Hurley asked me today." Sawyer said trying to break the awful silence between him and Kate.

"What?"

"If we were a couple." Sawyer said a bit of a smile.

"Oh." Kate said flatly resuming the silence.

"What the hell is wrong Freckles? You've been all depressed the last few days yet you won't say anything."

Kate looked at him angrily. "Your not exactly a fount of information either Sawyer."

"I'm not acting all depressed and angry either. You remind me of one of those angry girl bands." Sawyer looked at her, he had added the last part just for effect and wanted to see the reaction. And then as an afterthought he said. "I hate those bands."

Kate looked at him. "Get the fuck off my case." She snapped. This was the second time today. "I don't want to talk about it, and you have no right to expect that of me."

"God Kate chill." Sawyer said defensively. "I just don't want to live with a pms'ing woman."

Kate rolled her eyes. "I'm going to sleep." She walked away to her 'bed' and laid down.

"Good night sweetheart." Sawyer said sarcastically.

Unfortunately Kate and Sawyer woke up at the same time the next morning and there living quarters were anything but large and bumping into each other was bound to happen.

"Watch it."

"You're not the only one here."

"Move."

"Ouch…my toe."

"God, could you take up anymore space?"

"I need to get over there Sawyer." Kate pushed past him grabbing a hairbrush.

"Well my shoes are over there to." Sawyer said knocking into her on accident but with a little more force than was necessary. Kate's foot hit a pole tripping her and she feel.

"Could you help me up?" She asked angrily.

Kate grabbed her hand and pulled her up. He put to much force into it due to anger and pulled her to much causing her to once again stumble. She fell into him and he caught her grabbing her by the shoulders. He stepped back a bit and looked at her keeping his hands on her shoulders. They stood looking at each other for a few seconds. Then he leaned down and kissed her.

They're lips had barely touched when they were interrupted.

"Hey Sawyer, can you help me get the roof up?" Michael called.

They both pulled away quickly. They glanced at each other and went back to what they were doing. Sawyer pulled his boots on and walked off to help Michael and went off to the caves to check on the garden.


	6. Talk

**A/N: This chapter is different from the others. I hope you like it though. I know there is a lack of Skate interaction but I promise to make up for it soon enough. ;) I hope you like this chapter to. And this is going to bring them closer together.**

Kate sat down on the rocks letting her feet hang into the water. She thought about going to the caves but really didn't want to. It was Sawyer's and her thing and…there it was again. _Sawyer. _The kiss kept playing in her head. It wasn't a forced kiss like the first time. But what did it mean? And should she start a relationship on the island, despite what she told Claire she wasn't sure. Her situation was different from Claire's.

"Hey Kate." Came Walt's voice. He sat down next to her. "You like it here to?" He asked sitting down next to her.

Kate smiled at him. "Yeah it's nice." She said, normally she'd be annoyed that someone had interrupted her, but Walt was just a kid.

"You okay?" He asked taking off his shoes and rolling his pants up. "I'm a real good listener." He said with childish innocence.

Kate grinned. "It's fine. I was just thinking about my past."

"I heard what Sawyer said about you. But I think it's fine, cause you know you seem really nice. And I figure we should all get a new chance here. Plus I bet whatever you did you had a real good reason."

Kate nodded. "But when we go back to the real world they won't care about our new lives."

"Well that shouldn't change the time we're here. We might never get rescued. You know the French lady's been here for 16 years."

Kate looked at him stunned. "How do you know about that?"

Walt splashed his feet around in the water. "I know about lots of stuff. People don't usually stop talking when I'm around, cause I'm a kid I guess. Plus like I said, I'm a good listener."

Kate laughed a bit. "I guess you are. You're a good kid."

"Thanks." Walt said jumping into the water and treading in the shallowest part. "You think there's a reason we're here?" He asked.

Kate shrugged. "I honestly don't know. But it seems like it."

"I think we are. I think its cause we all need to start over or learn something. Most of the people here need a new life. And it's working, my dad's learning to be a dad, Shannon's learning how to be nicer."

Kate was almost amazed. You could always leave it to a kid to point out things in front of your face. "Your right."

Walt nodded. "I know. You know what I think?  
"What?"

"I think you should go talk to Sawyer."

"Why's that?" Kate asked looking at him surprised and maybe a little annoyed.

"Cause that's what's bothering you." Walt said as if it was no big deal and maybe to him it wasn't. He sat back up on the rocks, the bottom of his pants wet and his legs swinging happily in the water.

"How do you know?" Kate asked.

"I know lots of things." Walt shrugged. "I don't know why, it's always been that way." Walt smiled just a little. "Like Claire, she likes Charlie but she's scared to get close to people."  
"That's quiet a gift you got there."

Walt shook his head. "It's not really a gift. I'd rather be like everyone else."

Kate nodded. "That's what we all kid."

Walt smiled at her. "I like talking to you."

Kate smiled back. "I like talking to you to."

Walt started putting his shoes back on. "Well I got to go. Dad said not to stay out to long."

"Okay see you." Kate said.

The rain poured down in sheets. Kate damned the rain, the island, the plane, and the monster, just about everything as she walked back. Usually she loved the rain but it was coming down hard stinging her all over. She rubbed at her arms as she walked, head down towards the beach. Just a minute ago it had been sunny and bright. Stupid Island she though and then started damning things all over again.

Kate was almost to the beach when she heard people. Hurley saw her and went over to her. "Sawyer's got your stuff, come on." He told Kate urging her the other way.

"Why?" Kate asked questioningly. It had rained before.

"Dude, it's monsoon season. You need to go to the caves. We're trying to get the stuff up there, as much as we can." He said.

"Let me help!" Kate said turning around.

"No go to the caves, it's safer."

"I'm helping." Kate said, not putting it up for debate. "We need that stuff." She headed towards the beach next to Hurley. Once again going against the rain.

She reached her shelter at the same time as Sawyer. Half of the things were gone. "What the hell you doing here Freckles?" He asked grabbing more things.

"Helping." She said doing the same. She shoved things into her backpack and grabbed as much as she could in her arms. People were running around like wild, as the tide got slowly higher. It was no question at least half of the beach would be underwater by the end of the day.

"Okay." Sawyer said not questioning her. They needed help and he wasn't going to complain that she helped. He did however wait for her before heading back towards the caves. The walked as fast as they could in the rain, doing their best not to slip. They were almost to the caves when a group of people came. "Let me get that." Claire said going to Kate. "Come on" She urged her towards the caves.

"No I'm helping." Kate quickly handed the stuff over to her, trying to stop her shivering.

Sawyer handed his stuff to Scott, or Steve, whichever it was and headed back towards the beach. The rain was getting harder, if that was possible. They could barely see in front of them.

Kate followed at his side. She wouldn't let him get out of site. They finally made it to the beach tired and beaten. Half of their things were ruined. "Don't get the stuff get the wood and things." Sawyer said running over and grabbing boards.

Sayid must have been behind them because he came up next. "Let Kate get the boards. We'll carry this." He said grabbing a piece of the plan they had used as a wall.

"Okay." Sawyer dropped the boards and grabbed the other side.

Kate saw the toy plane. It was caught in water. She grabbed it getting soaked in the process and knocked down. She grabbed it quickly and put it in her pocket standing back up. She grabbed the boards and looked around the guys had already started a bit and she walked quickly to catch up to them. So much for moving to the beach she thought, as boards and belongings were washed along the beach.

She finally reached the caves glad to be done. She saw Shannon sobbing, Jack was attempting to hold her and calm her down. She was screaming. Kate went over to her, making out parts of her yells. It seemed Boone's stuff was still down there.

"Let her go." Kate said. She understand what Shannon was going through.

"Kate I can't. Plus it's probably washed away." Jack said holding the fighting hysterical Shannon.

"Her shelter was high up. There's time if you let her go." Kate said going to Jack and physically attempting to pry his hands from Shannon. "Let go!" She yelled fighting against him. It was as if she was Shannon and those were Tom's things. She was almost desperate for her.

Finally Shannon slipped from Jack's grasp. "Come on." Kate grabbed Shannon's hand and took off running. They could hear Sawyer, Jack and Sayid yelling after them.

"Thanks." Shannon said to Kate, her sobs stopping.

"It's fine. I understand." Kate said honestly. She hoped there was still time. It was raining like mad.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the beach. They were both covered in mud from falling. They looked around trying to see past the rain and shielding their eyes from it.

"It's over here." Shannon yelled still holding Kate's hand afraid to lose her.

Kate followed making out Shannon's shelter. It was soaked but the water hadn't reached it yet. Some of the belongings had been blown away though. She started grabbing things along with Shannon.

"I think that's it." Shannon said, clearly crying.

"Okay. Come on." Kate said waiting for her to get near her. They went back to the caves the rain stinging there back. Kate didn't think it was possible to get more soaked than she was.

Kate figured they were close but the surroundings. She couldn't see more than 3 feet at the most, in front of her.

"Kate thanks. Really." Shannon said.

Kate looked at her and smiled, even though she couldn't see it. "Your welcome." She said. "I think I hear people from camp."

"Me to."

They were greeted with towels. Sayid went and hugged Shannon, dragging her away. Shannon looked at Kate and smiled. Kate smiled back.

"You okay?" Sawyer asked going over to her.

"Really cold." She said wrapping the towel around her tighter.

Sawyer didn't say anything but lead her over to a place where he had sat up their things. It was calmer here but people were still trying to get everything situated. He handed her a dry shirt of his and she smiled turning around and taking off her shirt and replacing it with his.

He looked at her doing his best to be nice. "I can hold up a towel if you want to chance your pants." He grinned.

"Okay." Kate said grabbing a change. She changed into them and sat down near Sawyer. There was a bit of a mist in the camp from the rain and she could hear it. Without really thinking, Kate got closer to Sawyer and leaned up against him. He leaned back a bit so he was against the wall and silently put an arm around her.

Kate was tired and felt very beaten. Her face was red from being hit by the rain and she didn't really care that she was in the open leaning against Sawyer. She closed her eyes and quickly feel asleep listening to his heart.

Kate woke up the next morning. There was a light mist rain outside and the air smelled of rain. She stretched and looked around. She had been moved inside a cave and was on a makeshift bed. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She felt sore.

Sawyer came in. "Hey sleepy head." He laughed.

"Hey." She smiled a bit. "What's going on?"

"We're trying to get this place ready for the next rain. You could help by getting food…or whatever you want.

"Are they supposed to be this bad?" Kate asked changing into her own shirt.

Sawyer shook his head. "I don't know, but the French lady showed up for about 2 minutes today to tell Sayid to get ready for the bad rains."

Kate sighed. "Terrific." She shook her head. Terrific, this great island had monsoons of doom. She looked at Sawyer. "So um about the other day."

Sawyer looked at her. "Yeah?" He asked smirking.

Kate rolled her eyes. "What did that mean?"  
Sawyer shrugged. "I didn't put that much thought into it."


	7. Truth or Dare

The rain had brought most of the survivors closer together, except a group that had taken off on their own. Kate nor Sawyer really knew any of them though. They had decided to go to higher ground to be safer, but most people were staying in the guaranteed shelter of the caves. They also knew that higher ground could lead to landslides taking all of there belongings with it.

But most people were working together. They were trying to build up a better shelter before possible floodwaters came. They really didn't know what to expect and were hoping to be prepared for whatever it was.

Kate was sitting in a cave that she had basically deemed hers and Sawyer's. She was weaving a basket. If you could call the pathetic thing she had made a basket. It was to hold food or whatever they needed. All she knew was that Rose had come and showed her what to do and left her with supplies. She would rather be out helping the men, but no one was really giving her that option.

Shannon stood in the doorway. "Knock Knock."

Kate looked up. "Hey." She smiled at her. "Want to help?"

"I wanted to say thanks so much for yesterday. And I have no idea what to do." She laughed.

Kate held up her basket. "Obviously neither do I. And it wasn't a problem, I know better than you probably think."

Shannon looked at her a little uneasily for a second. "Locke says he needs you to help him with something to." She smirked. "Actually he asked me to help but I don't want to by myself."

Kate put down the basket making stuff. "What does he need help with?"

"I don't know. He's making something." Shannon told her. "Him and Sawyer. Part of the reason I asked you, also cause I wanted to thank you."

Kate didn't bother correcting her on the Sawyer comment. "Well then I guess we get to work with the boys."

"Yippee." Shannon said sarcastically pointing to a clearing a little bit away from the end of the rocks outlining the caves.

"Watcha making?" Kate asked going over to examine.

"It's going to make a roof for the caves." Locke said.

"It's supposed to make a roof for the caves." Sawyer added, probably just to piss Locke off.

"Why am I helping?" Shannon asked sounding a little put out.

"Because we thought maybe you'd like to get off your lazy ass and do something Sticks." Sawyer smiled at her.

Shannon rolled her eyes. "I do stuff."

"Tanning doesn't help the camp. "Hold this." He said to her. "And Kate you hold that one." He pointed to a bigger piece of wood.

Kate went and held it up. "I'm not seeing how this is going to work."

"Have faith." Locke said grinning. "It will work."

Shannon caught Kate's eye and gave her a look saying that she clearly thought Locke was a whack-job. Kate suppressed a laugh.

Sawyer looked between the two of them. "Told you two girls weren't a good idea."

Kate rolled her eyes. "We're just laughing. Must you be so crabby?"

"Yes, I _must_." He said mocking her.

Shannon looked between the two of them. "So how long have you two been married?" She asked.

"Not funny." Kate said.

"The little lady doesn't like talking about her age." Sawyer said finding all of this amusing.

"Could we just do the work?" Kate asked.

About an hour and lots of bantering later it was actually starting to look like this roof thing might work.

"I get it now." Shannon said sitting on a rock beside them. She hadn't really been that much help.

"That's good princess." Sawyer sighed helping the other two pick them up and move it.

"Okay here?" Kate asked backing up a bit more to where he had pointed.

"Yep." Locke said and they put it down. "Now we just need to secure it and it will be good." He smiled at them. "Thanks."

Sawyer nodded. "I got that rope."

Kate walked down to the beach and looked around. It was trashed. Everything was destroyed. She sighed rubbing her arms as a cool breeze went by. The air smelled of rain, and the sky was overcast.

"Pretty weird huh?" Sawyer asked coming up beside her.

Kate nodded. "Yeah."

"You know what's stranger?"

"What?"

"It's like loosing your home. We're all actually getting use to living here."  
Kate nodded. It was true. She probably did more than others.

A light sprinkle started to fall down. Kate rubbed her arms some more; she wasn't prepared for the coldness. The sky got darker as if warning them to take cover. But Kate kept standing there. It had been like this the night she had left Tom. She could still remember the look on his face.

"Kate?" Sawyer snapped her back. "We better get going back." He said looking around. "Damn island." He muttered under his breath.

"Yeah." Kate turned around and started walking back. She still couldn't get that night out of her head.

_"But I love you Katie. We were supposed to have a life together." He was damp from the misting rain he'd been standing in. _

_Kate had tears in her eyes. "I can't stay here. I have to do this." She told him choking up. She fiddled with her keys. _

_"Don't leave me." He begged her, his first tear of the night falling down his cheek. "Remember all our plans Katie. We'd have a family." _

_Kate held back tears. "Tom I want a family with you so badly but I can't stay here." _

_"Kate let me come with you then." He said to her grabbing her hand. _

_"You can't! I can't screw up your life." She started crying. "I have to go now. I love you." She said turning around and walking quickly towards the car. _

_"Kate don't!" Tom yelled crying now too. _

_Kate opened up the door and looked at him. Lightening struck illuminating him for a second. "I'll come back for you." She said getting in. She started the car and drove off, doing her best to see through her watery eyes. _

"What the hell Kate?" Sawyer asked following her into the cave.

Kate snapped back and realized she had been crying silently on the way back. She quickly wiped her eyes embarrassed. "It's nothing."

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Looks like rain."

"No kidding." Kate grabbed a jacket from Sawyer's bag. She hadn't gotten one for herself. Not only was she cold, there was a creepy feeling in the air giving her chills. She sat down at the back of the cave.

"Shit." Sawyer said after standing there for a minute or two. "It's raining hard again."

They could hear the water beating on the roof they had made that was outside their cave and hear it all around them.

Sawyer went and sat down next to Kate. "If you're worried about this it'll be fine."

Kate smiled at him a little. "I know." She leaned her head back against the wall. Sawyer nodded and the awkward silence resumed.

"There's nothing to do." Sawyer said after a few minutes.

"We could play truth or dare, but I suppose it'll really be just truth, not to much to do around here."

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "How old are we 12? Want to do my nails next?"

"Are you in or out?"

Sawyer grumbled, "Fine."

"Truth or dare." Kate asked smirking

"Truth."

"Are you jealous of Jack?"

"Hell no!" Sawyer said looking at her as if she was insane. "Truth or dare."

"Truth."

'You wanted to kiss me the first time." He smirked like a teenage boy.

Kate looked at him for a second. She supposed he could have asked her something worse. She sighed. "Maybe a little."

Sawyer smiled. "I knew it."

"Truth or dare."

"Truth…"

They played for a while, the questions mostly stupid, neither one of them wanting to cause more awkward silence by asking a serious question.

"8th grade." Kate said with a grin. "His name was Timmy."

"You kissed a kid named Timmy?" Sawyer laughed.

"Truth or dare."

"Truth." Sawyer laughed.

"When was your first kiss?"

"6th grade, with Mary." He smiled at her. "Truth or dare."

"Dare." Kate said on a whim.

Sawyer looked at her for a second. "Hmmm." He looked around the cave as if the answer would be written somewhere. "Just had to choose dare." Sawyer said smiling.

"It was getting to repetitive." Kate laughed. "Want me to call um my crush and tell him I love him?" She asked remembering her last game of truth or dare.

"Naw." Sawyer said a gleam in his eyes. "I dare you to kiss me." He smiled at Kate.

Kate should have known it was coming. She did choose dare. Maybe in the back of her mind she was hoping. "Double dare?" She asked playfully.

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Kate laughed and then leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was different this time. It was more, playful if you will. Both of them letting their hands wander and biting at each other. After a while, needing to catch her breath Kate pulled back and looked at him smiling.

"Truth or dare?" She asked.

"Truth." Sawyer said almost in a whisper.

Kate got a playful look. "You have a crush on me don't you." She laughed.

"Your ridiculous." He said pushing at her a bit.

Kate pushed him over tackling him to the floor. "I really like this game." She told him.

"Me to." Sawyer laughed. "Come here." Kate leaned down and kissed him again 


	8. Chapter 8: Prelude

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I wasn't allowed on the computer for a few days then yesterday I had family stuff to do. This is complete and utter filler and way to short. It's totally pathetic but it builds up to the next few chapters. I promise the next chapters will be faster and waaaaaaaaay better.**

"I am so tired of this." Kate said angrily watching the rain. They had gotten a large part of the caves covered and build a bit of a wall but there was still a thin layer of water on the cave floor, outside it was starting to flood. Some were starting to panic but most were just annoyed.

"Me to." Claire said coming up beside her holding Aaron.

Kate smiled at her a bit. "Can I hold him?" She asked and Claire handed him over. "Hey there little guy." She smiled at him. "He's already growing."

"I know." Claire said. "Problem is we don't have any clothes."

"I'm sure there is someone on the island who can sew." Kate told her making faces at Aaron. As always babies brought out the child in her, as in most people.

"I suppose. It's still an annoyance." Claire smiled at Aaron. "I don't want him growing up here. Or worse, growing up here for a while and then having to leave."

Kate nodded. "I know." She handed Aaron back to Claire. "Hopefully we'll get off soon."

"Hopefully." Claire smiled.

"Claire!" Charlie called. "Could you come here for a minute?"

"I guess I better go." She threw a friendly glance at Kate and left. Kate just stood where she was until the cold air, signaling coming heavier rain drove her to her cave. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. She was use to doing things. She had never been able to stay still.

"Boo!" Sawyer yelled making her jump as she was pulled out of her thoughts. He pulled close the fabric they used as a door.

Kate looked at him embarrassed. "Asshole."

Sawyer smirked and set down and kissed her, lingering on her bottom lip. "We could always do what we did last time it rained."

Kate made to push him back but didn't really use any force. "You're a freak." She laughed.

He shrugged pulling out a chocolate bar. "Look what I got."

Kate looked at him. "Chocolate." She said lustfully grabbing at it.

"Want it?" He asked pulling it away from her.

"I can not believe you are playing this game with me!" She sat back arms crossed.

Sawyer laughed and broke off half a piece and then broke it in half again handing it to her and starting to eat his piece. "I don't have much."

"It's fine." She took a bite. "This is divine." She leaned up against him smiling.

Sawyer put an arm around her cautiously. He wasn't use to cuddling. He hadn't cuddled since he was probably 16 in fact.

She looked up at him smiling and kissed him. Then she heard it. Screaming. It was Shannon. They jumped apart and ran out.

Shannon was standing partially in the rain totally drenched screaming her head off. They both saw the source of her fear.

He was standing in the rain totally drenched, looking the same as the last time. More screams were coming from people; Kate was surprised to hear a small one come from her.

But there standing in the rain was Boone.


	9. Finish What We Started

Shannon's screams turned into whimpers as the rest stood around dumbfounded. "Boone." She sobbed out.

"Shannon…the island…" She gasped out. He seemed in shock. "…Shannon…Shan…"

Shannon rushed over to him hugging him. "How are you here?" She asked sobbing into him.

He looked at her, his eyes completely full of fear. "I don't know." He said looking around to the others. "I think it was the island."

Jack was standing still. He was reminded of his father. Had his father really been here? Had be been hallucinating? Was the island causing them all to hallucinate?

"So you got brought back and you're telling us you don't know how?" Sawyer yelled at him earning him an elbow in the ribs from Kate. "Ow. What was that for?"

Boone shook his head. "I don't."

"Don't question him." Kate told Sawyer quietly.

"Your telling me, Lazarus here is back from the dead and I can't ask why?"

"Yes." Kate hissed at him.

Jack finally regained himself and went over to Boone. Soon enough they disappeared into Jack's cave.

"Figures." Sawyer muttered heading back to his cave.

They could hear the muttering over the rain. Everyone had there own theories on why he was back. And most of all people were scared.

"It probably ain't even him." Sawyer said grabbing a blanket and sitting down.

"What?" Kate looked at him. That thought hadn't even crossed her mind, though it was possible.

"How many people you see come back from the dead before?"

"How many people have you seen who looked exactly like dead people before?" Kate asked annoyed.

"Seven." Sawyer told her rolling his eyes. "Poor Iraqi, he's going to lose Little Miss Incest to her brother."

"Could you stop?" Kate looked at him.

"Whatever." Sawyer pulled out a book and started reading.

Kate grabbed a jacket and put it on going over to Jack's cave. Shannon was coming out of the cave and stopped Kate "Jack says he needs some time alone." She had tears in her eyes.

"What's going on?" Kate asked trying to look over Shannon's shoulder.

Shannon shook her head. "I don't know. Kate do you think it's really him?"

Kate looked at her. She'd never seen Shannon liked this before; she looked so torn and confused. "I don't' know." She hugged Shannon semi-awkwardly. It had been a long time since she'd comforted someone.

Shannon pulled away after a few seconds, looking almost embarrassed. "Kate thanks."

"For what?"

"For treating me like a human." Shannon did her best to smile through the tears. It was an unbecoming look, but no one did look good when smiling while they were upset. However Kate appreciated the gesture and smiled back.

"We all have skeletons in our closets and mistakes in our past. But they're just that, things that are pushed away into closets and the past. It only matters what's in your heart." She said shocked at herself for saying something that could almost count as profound. "Now why don't you go be with your brother? He probably needs you." Kate had developed an almost sisterly connection with Shannon and really liked having someone to be close with.

"Thanks." Shannon turned around and went back into the cave.

"That was pretty deep." Charlie came up behind her. "Thanks for talking to Claire."

Kate looked at him quizzically. "What?"

"The other day. She said you talked to her. And I have to thank you." He grinned slyly.

Kate let out a small laugh. "No problem Charlie. Good luck with that."

Charlie laughed. "Thanks. She's sweet huh?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah she really is." She looked over at Claire with Aaron thinking how lucky she was.

Charlie glanced towards the cave uneasily. "It worries me. You know? After they came for Aaron."

Kate nodded. "Yeah I do. I really wish he could remember what happened." She sighed.

Charlie nodded. "Me to." They stood in an understanding silence for a bit. "I'm going to go sit with her." Charlie said after a bit. "Thanks again." She smirked.

Kate laughed. "No problem." She headed back towards her cave, the rain was letting up.

"Find out anything?" Sawyer asked a few minutes after Kate came into the cave.

Kate shook her head. "Nope." She sighed sitting down next to him. "What's your biggest regret?"

Sawyer looked at her, head cocked to one side. "Who are you? Dr. Phil?"

Kate ignored him. She should have figured that he wouldn't tell her. "The rains stopping."

"Thanks." Sawyer said. "I'm running out of non-shitty stories." He held up the book and Kate exploded into a fit of laughter.

After a bit she regained herself enough to talk. "You are reading Flowers in the Attic." She started laughing again.

"It was all there was to choose from!" Sawyer said annoyed putting the book down and pushing it away from him, as if it had personally offended him.

Kate looked at him laughing. "That is hilarious." He she started taking deep breathes.

"Glad to amuse you Freckles." He sounded like he was getting pissed.

"Clam down." Kate pushed at him playfully. "You know if I was reading something like that you would have laughed too. Plus it shows you that I think you're really masculine." She said the last part in an almost mocking voice.

"Get out my cave." Sawyer pointed to the door.

"Your cave?" Kate fake choked. "This is my cave. You get out."

"No." Sawyer looked at her dramatically rolling his eyes.

"Would you quit acting like your 7."

"You are to!" Sawyer said defensively.

"Well why do we act like kids around each other."

"I don't know Dr. Phil." Sawyer stood up putting the blanket away.

"There you go again!" Kate stood up also.

Sawyer walked over to her. "I just need to let out my inner child sometimes Doctor. I think I need medication."

"You do need medication." Kate looked at him grinning. "I really want to go back to our cave. The one in the water."

"What brought that up?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know. I just do."

"Well we can't. I'm sure it's amazingly flooded around there."

Kate sighed and then kissed him. Sawyer kissed her back pushing her softly to the floor. Kate complied moving down to the floor and wrapping her arms around him.

"Wait." Sawyer said standing up and going over to the fabric in the doorway, he closed it and then used the tie they had put on the wall to 'lock' it. He went back over to Kate and started kissing her again.

Finally they were able to finish what they had begun over and over the last few days. This time it was uninterrupted.


	10. Don't Leave

**A/N:****I wrote this while listening to HIM, specifically "Right Here in My Arms." Good song. I would apologize for how long it took me to update, but I haven't even gotten reviews for my last chapter. Not even one. I mean come on guys, can't some say something? **

The next morning Sawyer woke up to see Kate looking up at him, her head resting on his chest. "Mornin'." He smiled at her.

Kate smiled back. "Morning." She ran her fingers over his chest lightly causing him to shiver. The camp seemed amazingly quiet.

"What time is it?" He asked running his fingers through her hair. Maybe he could get use to this cuddling thing.

"I don't know, but early. We fell asleep early last night."

"I know." Sawyer yawned.

"It's sunny out." Kate observed out loud. "Lets go swimming. Please." She moved up a bit and kissed him.

Sawyer faked annoyance, though there really was none. "Fiiiiine."

Kate smiled and got up.

Kate stepped into the water. It was a little chilly because of all the rain. And it was definitely overflowed. She wasn't even about to take the chance of going and looking in the caves, in case they were flooded.

"It's cold." Sawyer said standing in the water about knee high.

"It isn't that bad." She dove under the water, coming up nearer to Sawyer and splashing him.

"Damn it Freckles." He said angrily.

Kate sighed. "I can't believe you are going to get mad over me splashing you."

"I'm getting use to the water."

Kate pushed back a laugh, he sounded so childish. "Fine." She went and sat on the rocks. "We won't swim." She got out and began drying off with the towels they had brought with them. "So what do you want to do?

Sawyer got out, not showing any sign of awareness of how rude he was being. "I don't know."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Well I tried to do something."

"No kidding. Sawyer said sarcastically. "Lets just go back to the caves."

"Why does everything have to be a fight with you?" Kate looked at him clearly pissed.

"I didn't turn it into a fight!"

"I should have known I couldn't count on your for shit!" Kate looked pissed, but more hurt.

"What the hell does that mean?" Sawyer felt a bit bad for making her mad but he wasn't going to admit it.

"It means that I thought maybe there was something deeper. But no, you're just as shallow as I originally thought."

"Whatever Freckles. I said I'd go swimming. I was just cold, and you've started the fight."

"I started it?" Kate asked finishing getting dressed. "How the fuck did I start it?"

"You made a super huge deal out of it. I didn't do crap."

Kate mocked him, and then went back to her normal tone, well her angry normal tone. "All I wanted to do was spend a little time with you. But I guess you are so use to being a fuck and run guy that you don't know how to spend time with someone once you get into their pants. And to be honest, if I wasn't on this damn island, I probably would have treated you like a fuck and run guy." Kate regretted the words right after she said them. She knew she had hurt him.

"I would have felt the same way about you. I don't like a girl with baggage and you've got enough to fill the entire cargo hold. I also don't make a point of sleeping with murders." Sawyer knew what he said was mean, but she'd hurt him, so his defense was to do the same.

Kate looked at him stunned. "Fuck you." She looked like she might cry and that scared Sawyer. He didn't want to make her cry.

Kate turned and walked away.

"Wait." Sawyer caught up to her. "I'm…sorry." He looked almost pained to say the words.

Kate gave him a look that made him want to die and walked off.

Sawyer stood up against a tree. He'd screwed up this time, screwed up big. 'Good job dumb ass.' He stood where he was for a while then made his way back to camp.

Kate was packing up her things when he went into the cave. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked her standing in the doorway.

"Leaving."

"And where the hell are you going?"

"Why the hell do you care?"

"Because." Sawyer said. He got closer and saw that it looked like she'd been crying. He could have kicked himself.

"That's a good answer." Kate tried to push past him.

Sawyer grabbed her arm causing her to drop what she was carrying. He held her in front of him by the shoulders. "Because I don't want you to."

"I thought you didn't want to be with a murderer." She said, the words cutting into him.

"I was pissed. I apologized."

"Haven't you ever heard, sorry doesn't always cut it?" She was looking everywhere but at him.

"Kate look at me." Sawyer said. "Look at me!" She turned her head towards him slowly meeting his eyes. "I'm standing here in the doorway feeling like total shit, and I'm begging you not to leave. I don't want you to leave. I like it when you're here Kate. I really like…you."

Kate looked at him, not sure if this was some desperate attempt. But she couldn't see what he would gain by it. If it were just for sex he wouldn't have chosen her. He'd have chosen some other girl, whose pants he knew he could get into. But she felt like she was betraying herself if she stayed. Yet she really didn't want to leave. But he was looking at her. Begging for an answer. She took a deep breath still not sure what she was going to say, and spoke.


	11. Honesty

**A/N: OMG guys sorry for how long this took. I thought I had already updated it a while back. Sorry!**

"I'll stay…but there will have to be some changes."

"Like what?" Sawyer asked looking a bit annoyed and a bit amused, and maybe even relieved.

"Like you are going to have to start treating me like a human and not a piece of ass."

"I don't do that. I treat you better than any other girl besides my mom and Ginny."

"Who's Ginny?" Kate looked at him accusingly. "You've never mentioned any Ginny."

"I stayed in this one foster home for a while she was like my sister. She took good care of me."

Kate was amazed; he'd actually shared something with her. "She must have been really nice." Kate would see how far she could get with this.

"She was. Once my step-mom was beating the shit outta me. And she took me and left. I was 10." He was off in his own world a bit, Kate could tell. "Then the foster people found out, and she was only 16 and they separated us. She kept in touch the best she could but it was hard. I was planning on seeing her once I got back to the states. Last I heard she was married. I hope he's good to her. She really deserves it." Sawyer's eyes caught Kate and he snapped out of it, looking a little embarrassed.

Kate smiled genuinely at him. "She sounds great."

"Yeah." Sawyer said obviously finished with remembering.

Kate smiled again and kissed him lightly. "I appreciate it."  
"Appreciate what?"

"That you told me that." Kate leaned up against him, moving his arm so that he was holding her. "Don't say it was nothing." She whispered.

Sawyer sat silently. That was what he was going to say. They sat in understanding yet boarding on awkward silence for a while. Neither of them knew what to say. But one thing they both knew was that they were building their own little world in the cave. Sometimes the outside didn't matter. Boone was out there, resurrected and the island was flooded but inside the cave there was a sense of security. As if nothing could harm them.

And for some unknown reason to her, when Sawyer was holding her, even when it was like this and she had made him hold her she felt safe. It was completely irrational but she felt like he would protect her from whatever the world would bring. Like her knight fallen from grace.

And Sawyer felt needed when Kate was like this. When she had moved his arm to make him hold her it had welled up a feeling in him that he couldn't explain. It had made him feel happy and…peaceful. That Kate wanted him to hold her was a huge thing for him. He felt almost protective of this creature in his arms, broken yet to him perfect. And yet he would never ever admit this to anyone. He tried not to even admit it to himself. Because that would make him attached and if they rescued he couldn't afford to be attached to Kate. Yet part of him feared it was to late.

Soon all awkwardness died out of the silence they were sharing. They both listened to each other breath. After a while Sawyer heard Kate's breathing shallow and slow. He looked down and saw she had fallen asleep. He moved so he could hold her better while leaning against the wall. After a while Sawyer started drifting off to sleep, but before he could fall completely asleep Kate's boy jerked and she let out a little whimper. She was having a nightmare

Sawyer woke back up completely and looked at her. She looked scared, even asleep. She was letting out little noises, like a hurt puppy and her muscles were tightening up. He wanted to go into her dreams and fight off whatever it was that was hurting her. And the fact that he couldn't made him feel helpless. Instead he held her close and kissed the top of her head

Finally after a while she calmed down, her breathing getting slower. Sawyer watched her until he was sure that she was happily sleeping.

The next morning Sawyer woke up with Kate still in his arms. His right arm, which she was lying on, was completely asleep. It stung a bit but he didn't want to disturb her. She looked peaceful. So he just waited until she woke up. She smiled at him, stretching and rubbing her eyes. She leaned up a bit and Sawyer moved his arm. It tingled and he shook it.

Kate giggled. "Oh poor arm." She took it and rubbed it. "I had a nightmare."

"I know." Sawyer said concern playing in his voice.

"Oh." Kate looked down as if she was studying his arm as she rubbed it. "I didn't know you knew."

Sawyer let out a little laugh. "It's fine. Not your fault." Leave it to Kate to be worried about someone seeing her have a nightmare.

"Is it better?" Kate asked gesturing to his arm and shamelessly changing the subject.

"Yeah." Sawyer stretched a bit.

Kate stood up getting changed. "I feel so gross on this island." She looked at her shirt, which had a grass stain on it in disgust.

Sawyer got up changing also, and shrugged. "We're all gross."

"Except Shannon. She seems to stay so clean how is that?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's cause she doesn't have enough flesh to attract dirt." He changed his shirt, using more muscles than necessary, reveling in the fact that Kate watched him as he did this.

"So what shall we do today?" Kate asked brushing her hair with her fingers.

"I figured we'd track through some mud, try not to deal with Boone issues and have sex."

Kate rolled her eyes at him. "You are a complete pig."

Sawyer smiled his million-dollar smile at her not even needing to say anything to be a complete smart ass. He could just give her that look of his.

"I'm going to go deal with the Boone issues." Kate attempted to kiss his cheek but he turned swiftly and kisses her.

"Don't hold out." He said smacking her ass as she walked out of the cave, causing her to sway her hips purposefully. "Nice ass Sweet cheeks." He said amusing himself with the double meaning.

"Hey Driveshaft come help me." Sawyer yelled to Charlie. He was helping add more roof to the cave.

Charlie walked over. "Sure what?"

"Hold this." Sawyer said waiting for him to hold the board then starting to hammer with his makeshift tools.

"How's Kate." Charlie asked conversationally.

"Good." Sawyer straightened the board a bit and continued hammering. "And Claire?" He added as an afterthought.

"Good. Worried about Aaron though."

"I suppose raising a baby here would be a bitch."

"You know Jack's jealous." Charlie said with a hint of humor in his voice, which surprised Sawyer.

"You don't like the Doctor?"

"No I do. But I've always found him chasing after Kate just a little amusing. I don't know, I just can't see them together."

Sawyer couldn't believe Charlie of all people made a statement like this. But he liked having someone at least partially on his side. Even if it was some has been.

"I figured that you hated me." He said looking at Charlie for a second.

"I'll admit you're not my favorite person, but you took the time to help me by reading to Aaron. I figure you're not a complete asshole."

"Aww thanks." Sawyer said sarcastically.

Charlie ignored the sarcasm use to it by this point. "Your welcome."

Charlie helped him for a little while more. They didn't' talk much but formed what some might call a semi bond. Maybe not even a bond, but after Charlie had said that he found Jack chasing after Kate amusing, Sawyer had developed a new found respect for him.


End file.
